The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Book of Job can be thoroughly analyzed containing many similarities and differences. These two works of literature were written in different time periods. Fiero states that The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem that precedes the Hebrew bible (19), while The Book of Job is religious text that is an actual excerpt from the Hebrew bible. Both originated from the region, Mesopotamia where it was common for people to have negative views on everything and believe that the evil in the world outweighs the good. Utnapishtim in the Epic of Gilgamesh and Job in The Book of Job shows these views in both works. Utnapishtim says to Gilgamesh, “There is no permanence” (Fiero 37). This shows how Utnapishtim believes that good things won’t last forever.
God blesses the main characters in both works. Gilgamesh is blessed with a perfect body, beauty, and courage. “Two thirds they made him God and one third man” (Fiero 19). Job was blessed with flocks of animals, a large family, and protected land. Job is said to be “blameless and upright” (Fiero 34). Although blessed both men were pushed to their mental and physical limits to see what they were made of. “Job and Gilgamesh are tested by superhuman forces, and both come to realize that misfortune and suffering are typical of the human condition” (Fiero 37). Gilgamesh is tested when Ishtar, the Goddess of love, takes the life of his companion Enkidu for rejecting her affections for him. “Because I am afraid of death I will go as best I can to find Utnapishtim whom they call the Faraway for he has entered the assembly of the Gods” (Fiero 21). In result of his fear of death his worthiness for personal immortality is what’s tested. Gilgamesh embarks on his journey to conquer the test and obtain his goal of personal immortality. Job, on the other hand, is tested because his questionable fear of God. “But stretch out your hand and lay a finger on his possessions: then I warrant you, he will curse you to your face” (Fiero 34). Satan believes that if he takes possessions and good health from him then he will give in and rebel against God. Satan wishes to prove this disloyalty to God. Both men are tested based on their fears. Their fears slightly differ as Gilgamesh has a fear of death while Job has a fear of God.
At the end of both works both men fail to achieve what they wanted. “Gilgamesh seeks but fails to secure personal immortality; Job solicits God’s promise of heavenly reward but fails to secure assurance that once dead, he might return to life” (Fiero 37). Gilgamesh fails because he is careless with the plant that restores lost youth allowing the evil serpent to eat it. Job fails because he is unfaithful to God, which results in him not getting the answers about afterlife he seeks.
Although they both failed, their struggles show that they wondered and had views on immortality. Job wondered what happened after death and had the idea that once you died that was it. He says “Like a flower, such a one blossoms and withers,…He dies and dead he remains” (Fiero 37). Gilgamesh also shows his curiosity about immortality when he finally reaches Utnapishtim. “Oh, father Utnapishtim, you have entered the assembly of Gods, I wish to question you concerning the living and the dead, how shall I find the life for which I am searching?” (Fiero 21). Gilgamesh believes that when he finds what he is looking for he will restore his youth and escape death.
The major theme in both works of literature is similar with very slight differences. The major theme in both is death and how it affects each character. At first Gilgamesh fears death and can’t imagine dying and that is why he goes on his journey to seek eternal life. After he fails to do so he learns that death is inevitable and basically gives up trying and accepts it. “For myself I have gained nothing; not I, but the beast of the earth has joy of it now. Already the stream has carried it twenty leagues back to the channels where I found it. I found a sign and now I have lost it. Let us leave the boat on the bank and go” (Fiero 23). His quest and failures bring positive changes to him as a person. He didn’t find his answer about death but he did learn about life as did Job in his troubles. Job never really fears death but he is extremely curious about it, as was Gilgamesh. Job questions what happens to a human being after death when he is cursed with illness and is answered by God in a way that teaches him a life lesson. “God’s power is immense and human beings cannot expect rational explanations of the divine will” (Fiero 37). In Job’s final answer to God he apologizes and accepts not being able to understand why God does what he does. The curiosity of what happens after death is an important theme in that both men realize that death is apart of life and can’t be explained.
There are an immense amount of similarities and differences between the Epic of Gilgamesh and The Book of Job. Some of the similarities between the two are the tests the characters are put through, the location in which the works were originated, the theme of death, and how blessed the characters were. The differences between the two are the time periods they were wrote and how the characters dealt with their struggles. It is amazing how two works of literature from two different time periods could have so much in common.

The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Book of Job show the curiosity of two men about immortality. Both works of literature bring up two different views on immortality that spark interesting debate. The epic poem portrays Gilgamesh seeking the restoration of his youth and Job believes in an afterlife in heaven/hell. This debate has made me really think of my views on immortality.
A reading from the bible says “But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life, not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (II Timothy 2:8-10). I do believe that Jesus Christ rose form the dead and is living somewhere today. God promises eternal life to all who put their trust in him. I was raised a Christian and have always believed in and followed the bible so I do believe in a kind of immortality.
It’s hard for me to believe that when you die that’s it. For that reason my definition of “living forever” would be that your soul will live on forever whether that be in heaven/hell, reincarnation, or resurrection as were told Christ did after his death. Although a lot of my belief of immortality is credited to my religion I do have my own unique thoughts.
I firmly believe in reincarnation. Reincarnation is the process by which a human being is reborn into the physical world after having died. Many people say reincarnation is not a form of immortality because it is considered a natural phenomenon but I think it is very possible that the soul be reborn. I believe that the soul leaves behind all the memories of its past life but brings along its characteristics and personality traits into another life form.
I have been influenced by many different sources about the subject of immortality. My family has played a little part in my views of immortality and they believe in heaven/hell, which I do as well but I also believe in other possibilities since nothing has ever been proved. A lot of my friends have different views on immortality as well but never have much knowledge of why they have those views. In my opinion I don’t think any view is far fetched since nothing has been proved like I said before. As far as my education and all of the reading I have done in and out of school I believe that all possibilities of immortality are possible because there are so many different stories that portray all kinds of immortality.
I feel that my culture at large believes in the journey of your soul to heaven/hell. We are surrounded by places such as schools teaching us about God and the afterlife in heaven/hell. We are told that people that have sinned and not asked for forgiveness are sent to hell. On the other, hand people that sin and ask God for forgiveness are forgave and granted into the Garden of Eden. Sometimes I find this hard to believe because if you do something really bad you should be permanently punished for it. For example, if someone commits a crime such as a rape I don’t believe they should be given a pass just for asking for forgiveness. I believe these types of people should be permanently punished by God.
The only sort of immortality that I tend to shy away from is the restoration of youth. In my opinion it is physically impossible to stay young forever. I think the restoration of youth really has nothing to do with the living on of your soul but more of just a physical change. Also, if this were possible we’d have and be able to see evidence of it by people living forever as the same being.
All in all, I completely believe in the thought of immortality. I mainly believe in reincarnation just because of the soul living on in another life form on earth forever. To me it is just the most logical and believable explanation to what happens to us when we die. Works Cited
Fiero, Gloria. The Humanistic Tradition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.